The morning arrived under a blanket of dark clouds, thick and heavy, casting a muted, somber light over Makoko. The air was dense, mildly eerie, as the students gathered in the courtyard for their usual meditation session.
The low hum of murmurs floated in the air, blending with the distant sound of the water slapping against the edges of the floating city. As was now customary, Altine took Akeh aside from the main crowd, leading him away before the session began.
Whispers spread quickly amongst the students left behind. Some questioned why Altine always seemed to separate Akeh from the rest. Others shrugged, admitting they had no idea. A few sharp-eared students, however, caught onto something more intriguing.
"Trinity's gone too," one murmured.
"And Juwon is missing. I overheard them last night. Purist Trinity took him out on some sort of mission."
"Juwon?" someone echoed in disbelief.
"Why him? She should've taken Segun, the soul expert. He's way stronger."
Another added, "Segun's not going to be happy about this."
Meanwhile, Akeh and Altine walked through the narrow walkways of Makoko, their conversation slipping into an easy rhythm. Altine turned to Akeh with a soft, thoughtful expression.
"How's the progress coming with locating your soul?" she asked.
Akeh sighed, his brow furrowing in frustration.
"It's hard and annoying. How do I even know when I've located it?"
Altine hesitated, searching for the right words.
"It's… difficult to explain. It feels like..."
She made a vague gesture with her hands, as if opening something invisible in the air.
"Like a pot opening, or an awakening… It's this… shift inside you."
Akeh blinked at her, confused.
"I'm not going to lie, I don't understand what you just said. I'm not sure how an awakening feels like."
Altine smiled, mildly embarrassed.
"It'll come to you when it happens. Trust me, when it does, you'll know."
Akeh nodded, reassured but still puzzled. However, he noticed something odd. The path they were taking wasn't the usual route to the dump yard. He glanced around at the unfamiliar surroundings before turning back to Altine.
"Wait… where are we going?"
Altine's expression shifted, a deep sadness settling into her features. She stopped walking, meeting Akeh's gaze with soft eyes.
"We're going somewhere else today," she said quietly.
"Your father… he passed away. I've arranged for his burial by the water's edge. I thought you should say your goodbyes."
Akeh exhaled slowly, letting the weight of her words settle over him. They continued their walk in silence until they reached the quiet, secluded spot by the water.
A simple wooden raft floated near the shore, holding a coffin covered with cloth. The gentle lapping of the water against the raft was the only sound as Altine and Akeh stood in front of it.
Akeh stared at the coffin, his throat tight. His eyes stung, but he bit back the tears.
"There's no need to cry," he whispered to himself, though his heart was heavy.
Altine stepped gracefully onto the water, her movements light and effortless as she untied the rope keeping the raft in place. With a gentle push, she sent the raft drifting further into the water. Standing calmly on the water's surface, she extended her hand, striking a match that ignited the coffin, the flames licking upward as the body of Akeh's father was consumed.
Akeh watched in silence, his emotions swirling, his eyes misting despite his inner resolve not to cry. The flames danced across the water as the dark clouds above seemed to mourn with him.
Suddenly, the quiet was broken by heavy footsteps. Segun, the soul expert, stormed onto the scene, his presence loud and disruptive. Unlike Altine's delicate steps, his movements on the water were harsh, each footfall sending ripples across the surface. He ignored the somber atmosphere entirely, heading straight for Altine.
"I heard," Segun began, his voice laced with irritation.
"I heard Trinity took Juwon with her. Why him? She should've taken me instead. I'd make things a lot easier."
Altine's voice was soft, her tone carrying a hint of warning.
"Segun, please wait. We're observing a moment of silence for Akeh's father. When the coffin is done burning, I'll talk to you."
Segun glanced at the burning raft but clearly didn't care. He continued, his frustration growing.
"I'm starting to see a pattern here. First, you give those two talentless students private lessons, and now Purist Trinity picks Juwon over me. This bias toward the weak is getting out of hand."
From where he stood, Akeh could hear every word. He stared at Segun with a distant expression, his fists clenching as Segun dismissed both him and Juwon as "talentless students."
Altine remained silent as Segun turned away, storming off. Segun barely acknowledged Akeh's presence as he walked past him, muttering under his breath.
"I hope this doesn't persist."
He shot Akeh a brief, disdainful glare before continuing on his way.
Once the silence was over, Altine returned to Akeh's side after Segun left, her face apologetic.
"I'm sorry about him," she said softly.
"He's… well, sometimes...like that."
Akeh shook his head. "No need to apologize for him."
They stood together in silence, watching the last of the flames consume the raft before Akeh quietly said his final goodbye. The fire flickered out, and with it, a chapter of Akeh's life seemed to close. With a deep breath, he turned away from the water, ready to move forward.
Altine and Akeh walked back through the narrow walkways, the weight of the moment lingering between them. But as they neared the familiar path to the dump yard, Akeh straightened, his determination rekindled.
"I'm ready to continue training," he said, his voice firm.
Altine smiled gently, nodding in approval as they made their way to the next phase of Akeh's journey.
To be continued...